Collapsible tray or carton



K. T. BUTTERY COLLAPSIBLE TRAY OR CARTON Dec. 16, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 5, 1950 v MM 7 AAOM d Dec. 16, 1952 K. T. BUTTERY 2,621,783

COLLAPSIBLE TRAY OR CARTON Filed March 3, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 16, 1952 CGLLAPSIBLE TRAY OR. CARTON Kenneth T..Buttery, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application March-3, 1950, SerialNo. 147,542

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a collapsible tray or carton.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a collapsible tray or cart-on which is well adapted to receive a plurality of objects and support them in side by side relation for display purposes, as well as to prevent their becoming shufiled about or displaced as the tray or box is handled.

Second, to provide a structure having these advantages Which may be quickly set up and the articles to be displayed arranged therein.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tray or box of my invention completely set up, a single article such as a spoon being indicated in position there- Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tray or box with the walls erected prior to the positioning of the article holding members.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank.

My present invention is an adaptation of and in some respects an improvement upon the collapsible tray or box of my Patent No. 2,438,703, issued November 22, 1949.

My present invention is especially designed to receive a plurality of articles such as spoons, forks or other tableware and permitting their inspection through a transparent wrapper (not illustrated) while holding them in the arranged position within the box.

The structure illustrated comprises a bottom I, side walls 2-2 and end walls 3-3, these being hingedly connected to the bottom by score lines 4. The corner flaps 5 are hingedly secured to the ends of the end walls by means of the score lines 6. The side walls have diagonally disposed slits 1 therein opening at their end edges desirably at the folding scores, the lower portions 8 of the slits extending from the portions to the end edges being in alignment with the scores 4. The corner flaps have slits 9 therein, the portions I0 above the slits 9 being cut away to provide upwardly projecting tongues l l engageable with the upper edges of the slits 1 as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The end walls have article holder member extensions I2 on their upper edges desirably joined thereto by lines of spaced perforations I3 2 so the members l2 can be, folded inwardly: into. an outwardly inclinedrelation asshownin Fig.1.

The. bottom I has, transverse slits [:4 therein desirably somewhat, offset relative, to, each other asis shownv in Fig.3; and-positionedto receivethe tongues: I53 on the swingingedgesof the members l2- when themembers I-2 are inerectedposition. The slits L4 desirably have angled offsets I6; at the ends thereof resulting in providing portions I! which may be deflected to facilitate the engagement of the tongues l5 in the slits (see Fig. 3). The end edges l8 of the members l2 preferably diverge outwardly from the folding lines l3 so that the members 12 may be easily positioned between the side walls and when so positioned their end edges are in supporting engagement with the portions of the side walls above their slits 1. The members l2 thus serve to brace and reinforce the side walls and also the end walls.

The holder members l2 are provided with notch-like openings [9 and 20 in their swinging edges adapted to receive the handles or other parts of packaged articles, such as a spoon conventionally indicated at 2|. The openings I! of the holder members are arranged out of alignment as is best shown in Fig. 2 so that the articles packaged, if provided with handles, are alternately positioned.

These trays or boxes are especially designed to be wrapped with transparent wrappers after the contents have been placed therein and when so wrapped effectively display the contents.

I have illustrated and described a highly practical commercial embodiment of my invention. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe certain embodiments and adaptations which I contemplate or which might be desirable for the packaging of other articles as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A collapsible tray or box formed of an integral blank comprising a bottom, and side and end walls hingedly connected thereto, and corner flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the end walls and foldable on the outer sides of the side walls when they are in erected position, the side walls having slits opening at their end edges and extending diagonally outward, the bottom having transverse slits adjacent its ends, the corner flaps having upwardly directed tongues on their side edges engageable with the outer edges of the diagonal slits of the side walls when the box is erected and with the end walls in supported abutting engagement with the ends of the side walls, the end walls having article holder member extensions on their outer edges provided with tongues on their outer edges and foldable inwardly to an outwardly inclined position with their ends in supporting engagement with the portions of the side walls above the said slits therein and their tongues in engagement with said transverse slits in the bottom, the outer edges of said holder members having notches therein to receive articles positioned within the box.

2. A collapsible tray or box formed of an integral blank comprisin a bottom, side and end walls hingedly connected thereto, and corner flaps hingedly connected to the ends of the end walls and foldable on the outer sides of the side walls when they are in erected position, the side walls having slits opening at their end edges and extending diagonally outward, the bottom havin transverse slits adjacent its end-s, the corner flaps having upwardly directed tongues on their side edges engageable with the outer edges of the diagonal slits of the side walls when the box is erected and with the end walls in supported abutting engagement with the ends of the side walls, the end walls having article holder member extensions on their outer edges provided with tongues on their outer edges and foldable inward- 1y to an outwardly inclined position with their tongues in engagement with said transverse slits in the bottom, the outer edges of said holder members having notches therein to receive articles positioned within the box.

KENNETH T. BUTTERY,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,304,020 Calef May 20, 1919 1,331,009 Ford Feb, 17, 1920 1,616,047 Hoge Feb. 1, 1927 2,057,781. Kulp Oct. 20, 1936 2,274,714 Levkofi Mar. 3, 1942 2,488,703 Buttery Nov. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 291,329 Great Britain May 31, 1928 453,266 Germany Nov. 17, 1927 

